The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-07-07
The Status of Texas Veterans
Claims.

Claims.
Under this title the Hon. George B.
Erath. of Waco, an old San Jacinto vet
eran, and for many years member OF
the legislature, writes the following let
ter:
WACO, June 81, 1887.
To tina Editor of the Statesman.
From very early day Texas always
pensioned, annually, a few veterans with
out any special law. Generally, the
merits of ancient soldiery Texas
were overlooked. We are in
debted to the so-called republi-
can and carpet-bag convention and
Twelfth Legislature for our first recog
nitlon, which, together, settled on US as
vest ed right, an annual pension OF two
hundred and fifty dollars ($25O) through
our natural lives. The Fourteenth legis'
lature affected to repeal the law of the
Twelfth, but could not repeal our vested
right already accrued by the defacto con-
stitution of '69 and Twelfth legislature.
Under it Comptroller Bledsoe issued
four or five hundred certificates which
stand against the government of Texas
as claim during the life of veterans, ex
cept the first four years, which have been
paid. The Fourteenth legislature passed
another law to give certificates to about
five hundred more veterans, and added a
thousand or two Others and agreed and
did pay all for about four years, refusing
to pay any longer, or Ignoring the
rivhts of the veterans already &C
crued under the constitution. They then
enacted and the next year repealed the
same law, leaving no law in force to grant
any more claims than those already re-
ouired. The next and present constitu-
ton laid down a principle under which
more claims to pensions could be MADE,
and SAID nothing destroying the rights
and titles to pensions by the true vet
Grams, hanging over the state for 500 a
year during the lifetime, as vested In
them by the constitution of 1869. Tbs
more knowing legislators of the situation
Of the Texas soldiery claims, endeaVorec,
at every session, to compromise that
claim. and in 1881 passed law giving
1880 acres of land, limiting that it might
be located in Greer county, as it was a
compromise of public debt, for which the
land in Greer county could be used under
the present constitution.
The talented governor and number
OF high officials favored the location there
to enable them to get fair and actual
posses sion of the territory, and extend
Texas jurisdiction against the preten'
sons of the United States, and issued pat
ents to the holders of the claims OF
which but few were veteran'
themselves, but assignees, so that fair pos
session by men claiming a right to the
the Nineteenth legislature found mares
nest in the matter, and made the cause OF
the veterans appear unpopular by wild
land speculations, with which veterans
themselves had very little to do.
l hold an obligation issued legally by
Comptroller Bedsoe, for the state of
Texas to pay me $3.50 year during my
lifetime. They have paid for four years,
and owe me for over thirteen years
amounting to $4,000. There are SOC
more precisely the same kind of claims
under the Bledsoe certificates, and the
heirs of those who have died since are en-
titled to them. Their claim has never
been revoked by agreement or new con-
stitution. There are 500 more nearly in
the same condition, under the law of the
Fourteenth Legislature, counting only
those whom the last veteran board rec
ognized. Iopposed the acts of the re-
ppbIican constitution and its legislature
as opening door to endless controversy
Nv position in the Fourteenth legislature
Is we'll known. have always endeavorec
TO comp romise and max my companions
satisfied, After continual agitation, the